1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing tokens used to receive broadcast services in a mobile broadcast system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus capable of managing tokens used for Digital. Rights Management (DRM) by means of Secure Removable Media (SRM) in an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Broadcast (BCAST) environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Broadcast (BCAST) standard defines mobile broadcast technologies. In the OMA BCAST standard, Digital Rights Management (DRM) Profile presents techniques for accessing broadcast services and contents using tokens. Secure Removable Media (SRM) technology proposes a method for using download contents and their associated Rights Objects (RO) in memory cards such as a Multi-Media Card (MMC) and a Secure Digital (SD)-Card.
In the OMA BCAST standard, users purchase tokens to access broadcast services and contents, and the tokens are consumed during playback of the services and contents. The users can purchase tokens in advance and play back their desired services and contents by using the purchased tokens. However, according to the DRM Profile in OMA BCAST v1.0 (DRM Profile is broadcast service/content protection technology based on OMA DRM v2.0), the tokens can be used only in the terminals through which their users first purchased the tokens. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and method for using the tokens in other terminals.